"As a yoga practitioner and teacher, I came to know that there is a fine balance between the practice of never giving up and the non-attachment of always letting go.
Early in my athletic youth, I internalized practice (Abhyasa), which essentially taught me how persistent effort over time grows conviction, stability and tranquility. Of course, right practice meant training not just my body, but my emotions, thoughts and speech. At times, it felt like madness with so much grist for the mill of authenticity.
In 2010, led by my intuition, I began an experiment to surrender “desires, goals and ambition.” Until that point in life, I used willpower to move mountains out of my way. I had no concept of what it meant to detach (Vairagya) from the pleasurable attachments, painful aversions, false identities and layers of fear that clouded my authentic self. Adjusting to the constant uncertainty, once again, felt like madness. What is one to do but laugh and love.
Today, I willing disturb the comfortable and reside in the emergent discomfort because I am better for both. Fortunately, I share this meditation and writing journey with like-spirited questers. Thank you, Charlotte Maupin, Maureen Miller, Ruth Lehman and Wendy Weber, for your gift of in-to-me-see. This poetry book reflects our glad, sad and sometimes mad communion with each other and spirit.”
Excerpt From: Helen Maupin. “Mad Woman Laughing — Poetry for the Spirit.”